LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Health care workers are gathering in Sacramento to fight California's planned rate cut to Medi-Cal providers Tuesday. <\/p>\n
About 125 people boarded buses from Cedars Sinai Medical Center Tuesday for a seven hour journey up to the state's capitol. The group is set to rally and protest against the $1 billion in proposed spending and budget cuts to Medi-Cal. <\/p>\n
The government health care program for the poor serves an estimated 7.5 million Californians and nearly half of them are children. <\/p>\n
According to government figures, about 440 hospitals participate in Medi-Cal programs across the state. <\/p>\n
The proposed cuts come at a time where California's budget has shown evident signs of growth. Despite that fact, the governor says this is not the time to start spending. <\/p>\n
The rally was organized by We Care for California which formed this year to expand access to health care for all Californians and oppose further rate cuts to Medi-Cal. <\/p>\n
The group includes health care providers, organizers representing physicians and hospitals as well as members from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California. <\/p>\n
Many of those who gathered at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Tuesday were hospital employees who also brought along their families. If these cuts do go into place, employees fear smaller hospitals that serve many Medi-Cal patients will be so stressed or impaired that the slack may then have to be picked up by larger hospitals. <\/p>\n
The rally is also protesting two bills that would cut Medi-Cal rates to nursing homes located in hospitals and a swath of providers. <\/p>\n
Cedars-Sinai employees feels like these cuts would significantly impair the quality of service as well as limit access to Medi-Cal patients. <\/p>\n
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Health care workers to rally in Sacramento against Medi-Cal rate cuts<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Health care workers are gathering in Sacramento to fight California's planned rate cut to Medi-Cal providers Tuesday. About 125 people boarded buses from Cedars Sinai Medical Center Tuesday for a seven hour journey up to the state's capitol. The group is set to rally and protest against the $1 billion in proposed spending and budget cuts to Medi-Cal Continue reading